I'm Here
by ShinigamiDeathscytheSan
Summary: Matsumoto is devistated when her captain is mortally wounded in battle. What if he doesn't survive? HitsuMatsu ... rated T for safety. please R&R!


**here's a fluffy little story i came up with a few days ago.... it could've came out better, but i'm happy with it...**

**Disclaimer - dont own Bleach.... i'm not even partially Japanese.... XD**

**enjoy!**

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I'm Here

"Unare! Haineko!" I called, using my shikai for the final blow to the arrancar I was battling.

Only a few minutes ago, I felt my captain's reiatsu nearly vanish, and his opponent's disappear all-together. he must've defeated the arrancar, and passed out, but I couldn't tell for sure. But I needed to hurry and find him before it was too late...

My Haineko clouded around the arrancar, and then shot into its body, tearing through every tissue and bone. The hollow landed on the ground with a dull thud, dead.

I called back my zanpaktou, and took off towards my captain's reiatsu.

---

When I finally reached the scene of his battle, my heart nearly stopped.

The clearing, where the battle had ended, was completely frozen over. Icicles hung from the trees, and the ground was glassy and cold. But in the center of the clearing, was my captain.

He was lying on his side, a small crater impacted into the earth from his fall. Even this close to him, I could still barely sense his reiatsu. His zanpaktou, Hyourinmaru, lay beside him, the blade hidden in a pool of his own blood.

I took a hesitant step closer and saw a huge gash across his chest. Crimson liquid was flowing from the wound, threatening to steal my captain's life away.

"Oh god... Taichou..."

His eyes, which were still open, had lost their teal colour, and faded to a lifeless, dull grey. His breathing had shortened to painful, shallow breaths.

Numbly, I kneeled at his side and placed his cold hand in mine. His body was trembling from the cold and his labored breathing.

I called Unohana-Taichou, requesting an emergency relief squad. With my remaining power, I did my best to start healing my captain's wounds, or at least stop the bleeding.

A solid ten minutes later, the relief team arrived and took over healing my captain. One of the shinigami tried to treat me, until I glared at her so much she gave up.

"But Matsumoto-Fukutaichou you're hurt as well..."

"I said I'm fine, just please... help my captain..."

Eventually, they managed to stabilize him, and we were transferred to the fourth squad barracks. I refused to let him out of my sight, but when Unohana-Taichou began to treat him, I was banished to the hall.

That's when everything came crashing down on me. My legs buckled, and I sank to my knees, invisible hands pressing on my shoulders. Tears began to stream down my cheeks, leaving wet trails of make-up in their wake.

_'My captain might not make it through this... what if he... __**dies**__?'_

After what seemed like an eternity, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I turned to see the fourth squad lieutenant.

"Isane, how is he? Is he awake? Can I see him?"

Her eyes refused to meet mine, "Hitsugaya-Taichou's wounds are no longer life threatening, but it is completely up to his will to live if he makes it or not... He's still unconscious. And yes, you may see him." A faint hopelessness tainted her usually nervous tone.

Without another word, I made my way into the dark room. I instantly heard the slow beep of the heart monitor, and ksshh of the oxygen mask. The curtains over the only window were drawn, and only a sliver of moonlight made its way onto the floor.

There was a bed in the center of the room, and inside, buried under blanket after blanket, was my captain, looking impossibly young and helpless. He was wrapped in bandages from the neck down, bandages that seemed grey compared to his deathly pale skin. His eyes were shut tight, and I was sure they were still as dull as before. His reiatsu was still very faint, if not even weaker than before.

I kneeled at the side of the bed, and put my hand on his cheek, which was still ice cold.

In as long as I had known him, I had never once seen my captain look so defenseless. Not when he caught pneumonia after being out in a thunderstorm too long, or when Hinamori was in a coma, or even when he was almost killed by Aizen. He was always so strong, but now, he just seemed so... vulnerable.

"Taichou... please wake up..." I whispered, hoping I could somehow save him from the darkness.

-

The weeks dragged on, but my captain did not stir. The nurses continued to cheerfully assure me that he would wake up any day, but after the third week, I started to loose hope.

Exactly a month after the battle, I entered the familiar room. Pulling a folding chair up to the bed, I sat by my captain. Every free moment I had, was spent here, next to his comatose body.

I gazed at the heart monitor on the wall, the steady beeps signaling that he was still alive. Suddenly, his heart beats became quick and irregular. His breathing sped up and his whole body became tense.

And then, as soon as it had started, it stopped. His body was completely still. There was no more beeps from the monitor, or puffs of air from the oxygen mask.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as nurses rushed in and tried to bring him back. They fluttered back and forth, trying to restart his heart with pulses of reiatsu and CPR. But it was no use.

My captain was gone.

---

Matsumoto-Fukutaichou jolted awake. "W-what? Where am I...?"

"You're in the tenth squad office, not working, like _usual_."

Matsumoto glanced around the room, seeing that she was lying on the sofa in her office. She turned to see Hitsugaya-Taichou sitting at his desk, frowning at a large stack of paperwork.

"T-Taichou!" She flash-stepped to his side and engulfed him in a huge hug. "I'm so glad you're alright! I had a terrible nightmare about you..."

"Matsumoto?! You're shaking." When she finally released him, his frown turned slightly into a look of concern. "A nightmare about me? What happened?" He knew it must've been terrible for her to be this distressed.

"I-I dreamt that you died..." She looked away, unable to hold her tears back any longer.

He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, "It's ok...

I'm here."

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**wait.... is that a _happy ending_? what is this world coming to? .... i need to make an alternate ending to this... a depressing one at that...... DAH .... oh well**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**and now i'm off do go draw a cool new outfit for Danny Phantom... byeeeee**


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